Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech baseball team will conclude its regular season with a three-game homestand which starts tomorrow night at English Field at Union Park with a scheduled 6 p.m. first pitch against the Virginia Cavaliers. The three-game ACC series continues through Saturday afternoon when Tech will honor its four graduating seniors along with some other pregame ceremonies set to take place at 12:40 p.m. Fans are being encouraged to participate in the series' "Effect" games by wearing the designated color for each day - Thursday, Black; Friday, White; Saturday, Maroon.
Fans looking to attend any of this weekend's games against Virginia, tickets are required for ACC home games this season. CLICK HERE to purchase in advance. For those attending this weekend's games, please visit our GAMEDAY CENTRAL PAGE for more information about parking, prohibited items and an A to Z Guide on English Field at Union Park. It is also worthy to note that this weekend is graduation on the Tech campus and, although parking for the games will not be affected, there may be some extra traffic around the stadium.
Virginia enters the weekend with a 30-21 overall record and are 12-17 in the ACC, while the Hokies are 25-25, 8-19 in league play. Links for this weekend's games, which includes broadcast, audio, stats and game notes, are below.
Virginia Tech vs. Virginia
May 16-18, 2019
English Field at Union Park
Blacksburg, Virginia
Gameday Links
Broadcast: ACC Network Extra
Game 1 - Thursday, 6 p.m.
Game 2 - Friday, 3 p.m.
Game 3 - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Audio (all three games): VT/IMG Radio Network
Stats (all three games): VT Sidearm Stats
Virginia Tech Game Notes (PDF)
Virginia Game Notes (PDF)
Hokies versus Virginia: Entering the weekend, Tech and Virginia have faced off a total of 187 times, the most games against any opponent in the Hokies' baseball team's history (second most is VMI at 181 games). The series started back in 1900, and the Cavaliers hold the all-time series at 101-86, but Tech is 46-34 in games played at home and 18-15 in games at English Field at Union Park. The 86 wins are the second most wins against any program in Tech's history (behind the 131 wins over VMI). This series will mark just the second meeting between the two schools since 2005 that Virginia is not ranked.
Pitching staff is positioned to turn in one of its best ACC seasons ever: The Hokies are closing in on one of the best pitching seasons ever turned in by a Tech staff in its history since the program joined the ACC (15 years). First, the team's current overall ERA of 3.95 is the best ever in that time frame. The Hokies have not posted a sub-4.00 ERA since 1984 (3.80) - the lowest since was 4.10 in 1995.
The team is also now second all-time in strikeouts (472), with the 2010 squad holding the top mark ever with 530. The previous high was 461 (1988). Below are other notables for the staff (since 2005):
Lowest ERA: 1. 3.95 (2019); 2. 4.14 (2013)
Opp. BA: 1. .238 (2019); 2. .257 (2012)
Most K/9: 1. 9.66 (2019); 2. 8.72 (2010)
Fewest hits allowed: 1. 392 (2019); 2. 474 (2012)
Fewest runs: 1. 220 (2019); 2. 263 (2012)
Fewest earned runs: 1. 193 (2019); 2. 225 (2012)
A couple more bests for Tech: Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Hokies have also fielded its best defensive team ever. Tech's current fielding percentage is .976, a good five points ahead of the school record of .971 set by the 2012 squad. The team's 44 errors are also the fewest since the team has been playing in the ACC, 18 fewer than the 2012 committed in 55 games played.
Lastly, the team has been walked 253 times this year, the most in its ACC time, surpassing the 2014 team that drew 240 walks.
Winning big, playing close: More than half of Tech's 25 wins have been decided by five or more runs, the team is 13-4 in such games, opposed to 8-14 last year. Meanwhile, of Tech's 25 losses, 15 have been decided by one or two runs. The Hokies are 7-9 in one-run games and 3-6 in two-run games. Until March 30, Tech pitching had not allowed an opponent to reach double figures in scoring - Clemson did it twice, the only two times this season. Opponents reach double figures in runs scored 12 times last year. Lastly, Tech is 3-4 in shutouts this season, while they went 0-3 in 2018.
Final meeting of 2018-19 Commonwealth Clash: Building on a tradition started in 1895, the Commonwealth Clash is a head-to-head points-based competition within the 22 varsity sports in which the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech compete against each other. At the end of the spring season, the institution with the most points will be crowned the champion of the Commonwealth Clash.
The Hokies, who won the Clash in back-to-back seasons, were upended this year as Virginia currently has more than the 11 points needed for victory. This weekend's ACC series is presented by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of Virginia Tech Athletics and the University of Virginia Athletics. To learn more about Virginia529 and the competition, click here.